1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a corner pad for disposition in a door assembly of a building. Specifically, the corner pad is disposed between a vertical member of the door assembly and a weather seal to prevent the passage of water and other debris between a door and the weather seal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Door assemblies are disposed in an opening of a building, such as a commercial or residential building to separate an interior of the building from an exterior of the building. Door assemblies include a frame having a vertical member, a second vertical member, and a door rotatably mounted to the second vertical member such that the door is rotatable between an open and closed position. A threshold is disposed below the door and extends between the vertical member and the second vertical member.
A weather strip is disposed along the vertical member. The weather strip includes a stationary leg and a flexible leg extending from the stationary leg. The weather strip is disposed between and seals to the door and the vertical member when door is in the closed position to minimize the passage of water, draft, and dirt between the door and the vertical member from the exterior of the building to the interior of the building. However, during a rain storm accompanied by high wind, water puddles near the door. The wind forms a pressure head at the door in the exterior of the building and water seeps between the weather strip and the door from the exterior of the building to the interior of the building.
To minimize the seepage of water between the weather strip and the door, a corner pad extends along a portion of the second vertical member at the intersection of the vertical member and the threshold. The corner pad includes a base surface abutting the threshold. The corner pad also includes a mounting face extending from the base surface and an opposite face spaced from the mounting face and extending from the base surface with the mounting surface mounted to the vertical member.
However, during a rain storm accompanied by high wind, the water puddled near the threshold is able to wick upwardly along the weather strip because the stationary and flexible legs of the weather strip abutting the corner pad form an elongated bore and the pressure head forces the water up the elongated bore. The water wicks upwardly over the corner pad and is therefore still able to penetrate into the interior of the building.
When a sufficient pressure head exists across the door between the exterior and interior of the building, water sprays and splashes from the bore. Attempts have been made in the prior art to decrease the size of the bore. However, decreasing the size of the bore results in the air and water wicking upwardly through the bore at a greater velocity for any given pressure head in the exterior of the building. Corner pads of the prior art have been deficient in sufficiently preventing the wicking of water upwardly over the corner pad and into the interior of the building.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to manufacture a corner pad that prevents the passage of water between the door and the second vertical member. Specifically, it would be desirable to trap the water to prevent the water from flowing and/or spraying into the interior of the building.